Cover for treatment table

ABSTRACT

A cover for a treatment table includes a top sheet, and a skirt extending from the plane of the top sheet such that the cover defines an opening for accommodating a cantilevered protrusion projecting from the treatment table. The protrusion may be a head support projecting from the treatment table. The cover may include an access flap which is permanently attached to the skirt along an attached edge and removably attachable to the skirt along free ends of the skirt and access flap, the cover hiding the underneath of the treatment table around its entire perimeter when the access flap is attached. The cover may include access means for accessing under the cover and height-adjustment means for adjusting the height of the skirt. The cover may be made from one or more elastic materials.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to bedding and protective covers, in particular, to a cover for a treatment table.

2. Description of Related Art

Bedding is often used to cover a furniture item for reasons of hygiene, comfort and aesthetics. Furniture items often include a protrusion projecting the furniture item. Such protrusion, when not used for supporting the weight of the furniture item itself, may be referred to as a cantilevered protrusion. A cantilevered protrusion may be, for example, a head support projecting from a therapeutic treatment table, which may be used by a massage therapist, esthetician, physiotherapist, alternative health care therapist or other health care practitioner. Treatment tables are often located away from any wall to permit the therapist or other practitioner to work around the entire perimeter of the treatment table, thereby exposing to view all four sides and the underneath of the treatment table. A more professional appearance is given to the treatment table, particularly when the space underneath the treatment table is used for storing items, if all four sides of the treatment table are covered. However, conventional bedding cannot accommodate the protrusion and cover all four sides of the treatment table.

SUMMARY

The above shortcomings may be addressed by providing, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, a cover for a treatment table. The treatment table may be any furniture item having a cantilevered protrusion, namely a protrusion projecting from the furniture item when not being used to support the weight of the furniture item itself. The cover includes a top sheet, and a skirt extending from the top sheet such that the cover defines an opening for accommodating a protrusion of the treatment table. The opening may be dimensioned to permit at least a portion of the protrusion to pass through the opening. The cover may define the opening adjacent to at least a portion of an edge of the top sheet.

The top sheet is preferably generally rectangular, planar and dimensioned for horizontal placement on the treatment table. The skirt preferably extends perpendicularly from the plane of the top sheet continuously along one foot edge and two side edges of the top sheet and along two non-central portions of the head edge of the top sheet, thereby defining the opening at a generally central region of the head edge of the top sheet. The opening may be defined between opposing end edges of the skirt. The opening may be generally centrally located between head corners of the treatment table.

The cover may further include an access flap attached to the skirt along a first side edge of the access flap and removably attachable to the skirt at at least one portion of a second side edge of the access flap opposite the first side edge, such that the opening is constricted by the top edge of the access flap when the access flap is attached at its second side edge. The top edge of the access flap may be made of an elastic material or have an elastic strip attached thereto to accommodate head supports in a range of sizes. The opening may be dimensioned to permit at least the neck of a head support to pass through the opening. When the access flap is attached, any or all of the ends, sides, and underneath of the treatment table may be hidden from view, including hiding the underneath of the treatment table around its entire perimeter.

The cover may include access means for accessing under the cover, including accessing the underneath of the treatment table. The access means may be formed by a slit or other opening or a pleat in the skirt. The access means may extend along the skirt substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the top sheet. The cover may include a plurality of access means located on the skirt. The plurality of access means may be generally parallel and spaced apart from each other. The pleat may include a pair of triple folded sections of the skirt which form a pair of proximate folds and a pair of distal folds, respectively.

The top sheet, skirt and access flap may be made of one or more materials having elastic properties in one or more directions.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a height-adjustable cover for a treatment table. The height-adjustable cover may include height-adjustment means, which may be formed from a plurality of fastener members located on the cover. The fastener members preferably include a plurality of first fastener members located on the top sheet and a plurality of second fastener members respectively mateable to the first fastener members and located on the skirt such that raising the skirt and fastening mating pairs of first and second members adjusts the height of the cover. The height-adjustment means may include a hook-and-loop fastener, a snap button and/or a button-and-hole type fastener. The hook-and-loop fastener may be a fastener sold under the trademark Velcro.

Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the description of specific embodiments of the invention provided herein in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In drawings which illustrate by way of example specific embodiments of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cover for a treatment table according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a portion of the cover shown in FIG. 1, showing a pleat;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the cover shown in FIG. 1, showing an access flap for accommodating a head support of the treatment table;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the access flap shown in FIG. 3, showing a button-and-hole type fastener;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the access flap shown in FIG. 3, showing a snap button;

FIG. 6 is an perspective view of the access flap shown in FIG. 3, showing the access flap removably attached;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a cover for a treatment table according to a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the cover shown in FIG. 7, showing hook-and-loop fastening patches; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the cover shown in FIG. 7, showing hook-and-loop fastening strips.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a cover according to a first and preferred embodiment of the invention is shown generally at 10. The cover 10 is shown covering a treatment table 12 having a head support 14, which projects from a head end 16 of the treatment table 12. The treatment table 12 has treatment table sides 18, treatment table foot end 20 opposite the head end 16, and legs 22. The treatment table 12 shown in FIG. 1 is exemplary of one that may be used by a massage therapist, aesthetician, physiotherapist, alternative health care therapist or other health care practitioner in providing therapy, including massage, body manipulation, acupuncture or other therapy, or in providing other treatment, including cosmetic or spa treatment, for example. The head support 14 typically provides support for the head of a person (not shown) lying on the treatment table 12 and may be removably attachable to the treatment table 12. The head support 14 typically supports the person's face when the person is lying prone and supports the back of the person's head when lying supine. In general, the treatment table 12 may be any furniture item capable of supporting a person, and the head support 14 may be any cantilevered protrusion, namely a protrusion projecting from the treatment table 12 when not being used to support the weight of the treatment table 12. Examples of cantilevered protrusions include a side rail, handle, bed head, foot or leg support, arm support, tray, side table, light, or other cantilevered article. Furthermore, the protrusion may be any attachment member for attaching an article such that it projects from the treatment table 12, when the attachment member and article are not being used to support the weight of the treatment table 12.

The cover 10 includes a top sheet 24 which is typically rectangular and preferably dimensioned to conform to the shape of the top planar surface of the treatment table 12. In general, the top sheet 24 may be dimensioned to conform to the shape of the top surface of any furniture item. In use, the top sheet 24 is typically horizontally placed on top of a treatment table 12. The top sheet 24 is preferably made of a fabric or other material having at least slight elasticity to permit the top sheet 24 to stretch in the lateral direction between the treatment table sides 18, thereby advantageously permitting the cover 10 to fit on treatment tables having a range of widths. In some embodiments, the top sheet 24 is also stretchable in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the lateral direction for convenience and flexibility of use. However, the top sheet 24 need not have elastic properties at all. The material of the top sheet 24 is preferably non-wrinkling and/or wrinkle-resistant, amenable to regular washing, durable and stain resistant. The material may be resistant to the oils and creams typically used in therapy. Additionally or alternatively, the material in some embodiments may be hydrophilic, breathable, waterproof or water-resistant, or any useful combination thereof. In some embodiments, the material is impermeable. The cover 10 may be padded for comfort.

The cover 10 includes a skirt 26 which extends from the perimeter of the top sheet 24, and preferably extends generally perpendicularly from the top sheet 24 as shown in FIG. 1. The skirt 26 is preferably permanently attached to the top sheet 24 and may be, for example, integrally attached thereto or sewn. The skirt 26 is preferably made of a non-stretchable material, however, the skirt 26 need not be and in some embodiments may be made of the same material as the top sheet 24. In some embodiments, the rear portion of the skirt 26 shown adjacent the treatment table foot end 20 in FIG. 1 is stretchable in the direction between the treatment table sides to facilitate stretching of the top sheet 24. The skirt 26 preferably and advantageously extends downward from the top sheet 24 a sufficient distance to substantially hide from view the base of the treatment table 12, including for example structural features of the treatment table 12 located thereunder and items placed underneath the treatment table 12. The skirt 26 need not completely cover from view the legs 22 or touch the floor upon which the treatment table 12 rests, but will do so when used in some embodiments. The skirt 26 preferably hides the underneath of the treatment table 12 from view at the head end 16, the treatment table sides 18, and the treatment foot end 20, thereby advantageously giving a professional appearance to the treatment table 12 even when it is not abutting or near a wall.

The skirt 26 preferably includes access means for providing access under the cover 10. In the preferred embodiment, the access means provides access to the underneath of the treatment table 12 and to items that may be stored under the treatment table 12. The access means preferably includes the pleat 28 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but in some embodiments includes a slit or other opening in the fabric of the skirt 26. The pleat 28 extends substantially perpendicularly and downwardly from the perimeter of the top sheet 24. The pleat 28, seen best from the bottom of the skirt 26 as shown in FIG. 2, is formed from a continuous sheet of fabric triple folded back upon itself at two generally coplanar sections 30 to form folds 32 and 34. The sections 30 are connected between folds 34 and preferably abut at folds 32. However, the sections 30 may be separated by a gap between folds 32, as shown in FIG. 2. The fabric of each section 30 is preferably sewn together between the folds 32 and 34 at the top of the pleat 28 near the perimeter of the top sheet 24. The pleat 28 is arranged such that the folds 34 are located closer to the treatment table 12 than are the folds 32 when the cover 10 is placed on the treatment table 12.

In use, the fabric between the folds 34 is typically grasped at a central point behind the folds 32 and the pleat 28 is lifted up and away from the treatment table 12, thereby unfolding the sections 30 and exposing under the cover 10 and the underneath of the treatment table 12. Such arrangement advantageously permits access to the underneath of the treatment table 12 while providing an aesthetically pleasing and professional looking skirt 26 that hides from view the underneath of the treatment table 12 or any items stored thereunder. A plurality of access means may be formed in the skirt 26, thereby advantageously providing access at a plurality of locations, sides and ends of the treatment table 12.

Referring to FIGS. 3 to 6, the cover 10 in a preferred embodiment includes an access flap 36 for accommodating the head support 14, thereby permitting the cover 10 to be placed on the treatment table 12 and advantageously hide the underneath, ends and sides of the treatment table 12 around its entire perimeter when the head support 14 is projecting from the head end 16 of the treatment table 12. The access flap 36 is preferably permanently attached along the attached edge 38 of the skirt 26, and may be integrally attached or sewn thereto, for example. The access flap 36 is removably attachable to the skirt along the free edges 40 by flap fastening means. In this manner, the access flap 36 is hingedly attached to the skirt 26. The flap fastening means may include the hook-and-loop fastener 42 shown in FIG. 3, the button-and-hole fastener 44 shown in FIG. 4, the snap button fastener 46 shown in FIG. 5, or another type of fastener operable to permit removable attachment of the access flap 36 to the skirt 26 at the free edges 40. The hook-and-loop fastener 42 shown in FIG. 3 preferably includes one pair of mating hook-and-loop patches 48 located near the perimeter of the top sheet 24, but may include additional patches 50 located along the free edges 40. Alternatively, the hook-and-loop fastener 42 may be formed from a single pair of mating hook-and-loop strips (not shown) extending along the free edges 40.

FIG. 6 shows the access flap 36 removably attached and overlapping the skirt 26 slightly at the free edges 40. The top edge of the access flap 36 defines an opening 52 suitably dimensioned between the attached edge 38 and the free edges 40 to permit at least the neck of the head support 14 to pass therethrough.

The access flap 36 may be made of the same or different material as the skirt 26. The top edge of the access flap 36 may be made of an elastic material or have an elastic strip attached thereto so as to accommodate head support 14 of different dimensions.

In use, the cover 10 is typically installed on the treatment table 12 by placing the top sheet 24 horizontally on the top surface of the treatment table 12 when the access flap 36 is unattached, thereby avoiding interference with the head support 14. The access flap 36 is then removably attached such that the head support 14 passes through the opening 52.

The opening 52 is preferably located at or near the center of the head end 16 of the treatment table 12 to conform to the typical placement of the head support 14. However, the location and size of the opening 52 may be varied to suit particular circumstances. For example, the dimensions of the cover 10 may be varied according to the dimensions of different types of protrusions projecting from different furniture items at different locations, such that the opening 52 permits at least a portion of the protrusion to pass through the opening 52 so as to accommodate the protrusion. Thus, the present invention encompasses a cover suitable for use with any furniture item having a cantilevered protrusion.

Thus, there is provided a cover for a treatment table which includes a top sheet; and a skirt extending from the top sheet such that the cover defines an opening for accommodating a cantilevered protrusion projecting from the treatment table.

Referring to FIGS. 7 to 9, the cover 10 is shown in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention in which the cover 10 includes height-adjustment means for adjusting the height of the skirt 26. The height-adjustment means advantageously permits the skirt 26 to hide from view the base and/or underneath of a treatment table 12, which may be height-adjustable for variable heights of users of the treatment table 12. The height-adjustment means preferably includes a plurality of hook-and-loop fasteners shown generally at 54 in FIGS. 8 and 9. The hook-and-loop fasteners 54 are substantially uniformly distributed around the perimeter of the top sheet 24 at the treatment table sides 18 and the treatment table foot end 20. In a particular embodiment, fasteners of the height-adjustment means are spaced about 12 inches apart. The hook-and-loop fasteners 54 may include mating hook-and-loop patches 56, as shown in FIG. 8, or may include mating hook-and-loop strips 58, as shown in FIG. 9. The mating hook-and-loop patches 56 advantageously permit the height of the skirt 26 to be adjusted to a plurality of discrete heights. The mating hook-and-loop strips 58 advantageously permit the height of the skirt 26 to be continuously adjusted to a desired height within a range of possible heights. In some embodiments (not shown), the height-adjustment means includes fasteners of a type other than hook-and-loop. For example, the fasteners of the height-adjustment means may be snap buttons or button-and-hole type fasteners.

In use, the height of the skirt 26 shown in FIG. 7 is adjusted by raising the skirt 26 and fastening a fastener member located on the skirt 26 with a mating fastener member located on the top sheet 24. All fastener members at a specific distance from the perimeter of the top sheet 24 are typically fastened after raising the skirt 26 to a desired height.

Referring back to FIG. 7, when the skirt 26 is raised and fastened at an adjusted height, an exposed portion of the pleat 28 permits access behind the portion of the skirt 26 extending vertically downward from the perimeter of the top sheet 24.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, such embodiments should be considered illustrative of the invention only. The invention may include variants not described or illustrated herein in detail. Thus, the embodiments described and illustrated herein should not be considered to limit the invention as construed in accordance with the accompanying claims. 

1. A cover for a treatment table having a cantilevered protrusion projecting from the treatment table, the cover comprising: a top sheet; a skirt extending substantially downward from the top sheet; and an access flap removably attached to the skirt along at least one edge thereof, wherein at least two of: the top sheet, skirt and access flap, define an opening for accomodating the cantilevered protrusion.
 2. The cover according to claim 1 wherein the cantilevered protrusion comprises one of: a head, arm, leg or foot support, handle, side rail, side table support, tray support or light support.
 3. The cover according to claim 1 wherein the access flap is hingedly attached to the skirt along at least one edge thereof.
 4. The cover according to claim 1 wherein the access flap is removably attached to the skirt by one or more flap fastening means.
 5. The cover according to claim 4 wherein the flap fastening means are selected from the list comprising: hook and loop fasteners, snap button fasteners, or button and buttonhole fasteners.
 6. The cover according to claim 1 wherein the top sheet, skirt and access flap comprise at least one type of fabric material.
 7. The cover according to claim 6 wherein the fabric material is elastic in at least one direction.
 8. The cover according to claim 1 wherein the skirt is permanently attached to the top sheet along at least a portion of one edge thereof.
 9. The cover according to claim 1 wherein the access flap is permanently hingedly attached to the skirt along at least a portion of one edge thereof.
 10. The cover according to claim 1 wherein the access flap comprises at least one elastic member attached thereto to constrict the opening around the cantilevered protrusion.
 11. The cover according to claim 1 wherein the skirt further comprises one or more access means for providing access to underneath the treatment table.
 12. The cover according to claim 11 wherein the access means comprise at least one of a pleat or a slit in the skirt.
 13. The cover according to claim 1 further comprising height adjustment means for adjusting the height of the skirt extending below the top sheet.
 14. The cover according to claim 13 wherein the height adjustment means comprise first members attached to the top sheet, and second members attached to the skirt and adapted for mating engagement with the first members.
 15. The cover according to claim 14 wherein the height adjustment means are selected from the list comprising: hook and loop fasteners, snap button fasteners, or button and buttonhole fasteners. 